BigShoes

Let’s cut to the chase and call it like it is. Government is evil. They spawn evil plans that waste time and money and degrade the human race. These tax rebates are the devil in disguise I’m sure, so hold onto your purses ladies, take control of your stimulus payment now.

It started out as a simple plan to stimulate the economy. Our country borrows money (we need to borrow money?) from another country to give us money to stimulate the economy via a tax rebate, which analysts say is not enough but that is a discussion for another day.

Anyway, so we’re getting some money. Now trying to figure out when and how you will get your money is more difficult than finding out how far the earth is from the moon. I read the plan, something about the last two digits of my social security number and how I filed and oops they left off the small print and now TurboTax and whomever have to re-explain how you get your money based on how you filed with them.

I’ve heard tell that over 50,000 phone calls a day are calling the IRS to check on their tax rebate checks…a gift of money really, by the way would you call your grandmother up and ask her when your birthday card with the $20 was coming? I didn’t think so. Thanks for helping raise the cost of your gift if you called.

But, in all fairness, we are all entitled to a portion of the gift and you think the government would explain the tax rebate better, since they have our full attention and we might be missing the cost per barrel of oil during this fiasco…okay, maybe not. Besides I know we all need it, I need it, but the Administration and Congress is said to have “underestimated the need for cash in most US homes because they did not see inflation coming.” I must be clairvoyant because I saw it coming.

So you can go visit the IRS Where’s My Stimulus Payment. I’ve heard it isn’t very helpful but you can visit it and go through the exercise a few times before you become one of the 50,000 a day callers to the IRS that tries to find the answer to the question Where’s My Stimulus Payment?” But in fairness to the government this time, didn’t you read the part that says that the information about your payment won’t be available in their online system until about a week before your rebate is scheduled to be issued? I know, it should really say, I’m sorry but information on your tax rebate is only given out to mind readers who already know whent they will get their tax rebate. Okay, maybe I’m not clairvoyant.

Meanwhile, everybody who wants your money once you finally get it is really helpful. ATM’s are asking me to inquire about saving it, my church wants me to do good with it, scammers are trying to steal the tax rebate in new clever ways and the government really wants me to spend money on products from the country we borrowed it from (see Ben Stein on Glenn Beck). Can I have a show of hands from anybody who had to pay for oil with their credit card this winter?

Surveys are showing we are not going to be spending our money where the government intended. We won’t be buying cars, new clothes or electronics. I’m paying down debt and extra costs incurred due to inflation along with the rest of the tax rebate recipients.

Don’t get me wrong, the government is doing some good, dead beat parents will lose their tax rebates to pay back child support. I guess this makes up for the government denying money to filers married to someone without a social security number, including our soldiers overseas who are married to foreign spouses.

Tell me your thoughts, is this tax rebate doing anything but costing the government more time and money than it is worth? Are we going to be paying for this fiasco for the next four or more years?

The news since last year was that the Russian army was out of shape and they were facing an overhaul. You see they needed to get fit and fast. One third of their top officers are overweight and many have failed their fitness tests.

What do you think is motivating the Russian army to get into shape? Designer Valentin Yudashkin’s new uniform for the Red Army. Sounds like swimsuit season to me. To support them during this crisis they were provided with gyms and swimming pools. Hey, what happened to boot camp or is that kind of diet and fitness spa only available back here in the states?

So, when you try to think about your fitness in a new light, don’t over think it. Sometimes it is all about the slinky red dress or the summer swimsuit or the skinny new army uniform…and that is okay if it gets us fit.

I don’t know, I watched the video and I still can’t figure which dress they will be wearing can you?

Here’s the updated news story if you want to see them pictured prior to them marching in their annual Victory Day parade last week in Moscow’s Red Square. Some of them must have made the dean’s skinny list. Don’t let that news overshadow the reemergence of the Red Army’s missiles, tanks and other weaponry…

I’m not going to look it up but I’m willing to bet it was a man that invented the bra. And as much as I think women are closer to earth than men are, I’m willing to bet they had something to do with the eco friendly bra developed by lingerie maker Triumph International Japan Ltd.

The Solar Power Bra compliments Triumph’s line of other eco friendly lingerie, including the bra that turns into a reusable shopping bag and one that comes with metal chopsticks to save the planet from wooden chopsticks…huh, anybody shopping or eating in Japan lately? Do you have any stories to share with us here?

The Solar Power Bra comes with instructions not to wash or sun in on a rainy day. Oh, I’ll have to be sure not to catch my rays on the next rainy day.

Besides being fuzzy looking and green, never mind, I really have nothing good to say about it. Now if the Solar Power Bra can get enough charge to boost the Toyota Prius an extra mile or two before needing a charge then I’m sold.

See full story at Reuters; don’t miss the video.

Want to take a bet on weight loss motivation? Me two, so I visited fatbet.net run by two guys who wagered to lose. Sound interesting? It sure is…a very interesting weight loss concept that I hope won’t be lost on the faint at heart. Lucky for us they decided to share their weight loss idea.

You can invite your friends in on a wager where you set your weight loss goals and any body who meets their goals wins and any body that doesn’t, well, they pay up. I am so game, I’m thinking about a little competition with some family. You know who you are…I have family that I can insult and they’ll still respect me in the morning.

The program charts your progress and there is a message board for you and your group to support each other. This is free, to use the online tool anyway, and it is totally free if you are on the winning side of your weight loss.

Now I know many insurance companies today reimburse a portion of your costs for weight loss programs, but where is the fun in that? This is like your very own version of The Biggest Loser. Of course in this scenario there could be two biggest losers on either end of the spectrum.

So are you ready for this? Are your friends ready for this? Do you think you might lose a friend if you invite the wrong person…the one that doesn’t think they need to lose weight? Will it bring fun to weight loss? What would you do with your winnings?

Before we get too far past Mother’s Day, I’d like to discuss baby names…no I’m not mom, don’t even think it. Actually this is more about the government. It was announced that Saturday the Social Security Administration released its latest list on Popular Baby Names.

Okay, when I think of Social Security, I hardly think of using their services for selecting baby names. I’m sure there are plenty of baby name books out on the market that run the gamut of popular names by sex and nationality. While my grandmother worries about her medical benefits in old age and I worry about what benefits, social security and other, that I should expect returns on after my years of contribution I find it sad that someone is compiling lists of Popular Baby Names with tax payer money.

Now, being a technical guru of sorts, I sincerely hope this is a simple query that someone then emails to the media. But knowing our government, while I await a rebate deposit I should have gotten awhile back, I’m certain the cost of said Popular Baby Name list is a good fortune in government money.

So, what do you think the budget is to find out how popular your baby’s name is?

While I don’t advertise it everyday I am a mother of three beautiful, headstrong, smart and witty daughters. Usually I spend the day on the lawn listening to the shortwave radio and maybe having some home-brewed ice-tea. I might have even planted a number of plants that my number two came home with from pre-school and church with over the last few days. But outside of Philadelphia it is unseasonably chilly and we opted for a movie day.

While the youngest slept, I too longed for a much needed rest and left my oldest and number two on their own to enjoy a movie and as I found later, some creative drawing and craft making. I was pleasantly surprised with their efforts and knew Dad would be proud that left to their own devices they accomplished much in his absence while traveling for work and himself missing Mother’s Day.

So this evening as I catch up on some work, sorely behind in Dad’s absence, I’ve been visiting some sites and treating myself to some other Mother’s Day posts across the web. So, let me share my wanderings:

Visit Cindy at Her Family Blog as she shares her Definition of a Mother.

Mags at The Magnolia Diaries has been talking about middle age this week. Trust me, after a few kids we are all too familiar with the term and we should just get it out there and talk about it.

Brenda at A Return Home shares her beautiful bouquet with us.

Don’t miss Living with a Man if you want to hear about a newlywed discussing mother-in-laws. Personally I can say, I’ve been blessed in that arena.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Many have seen this video, moms and anyone who has had to listen to a mom can relate and appreciate the humor in this. Thank you Anita Renfroe!

And Happy Mother’s Day to ALL!

Okay, almost the obvious, Mother’s Day celebrates its 100th birthday in Philadelphia this Sunday. You can celebrate depending on whom you want to give credit for it. You can read my article about the progression of women trying to honor their mothers at Her Christian Blog and decide for yourself.

Of course Woodrow Wilson didn’t make it official until 1914, right before the advent of traffic lights later that year so we were making progress. All in all though, 2008 counts as 100 years since the first celebration of a Mother’s Day service, which was officially held May 10th 1908.

The festivities will be highlighted by the playing of the Wanamaker Organ, and a cake that I’m sure will not feed the 82 million moms in the US. Who’s bringing the chocolate?

So do you think Hallmark has a special card to celebrate the birthday of Mother’s Day?

The Arizona Republic caught up with the BIGresearch study that addressed Mother’s Day spending. AR’s take is with the stimulus check arriving (nope, I’m still waiting), people will spend more and spend it on Mother’s Day.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, See’s Candies. Okay, I knew there was something important in that article. See’s Candies; or chocolate, gourmet lollypops and truffles, oh yum. See’s Famous Old Time Candies have been around since 1921. Dear Hubby brought some home from his last trip to San Diego…guess where he will be this Mother’s Day…San Diego. I know ladies; I’m making a list and will send him a link to this blog post.

It will read:

See’s Candies

Joe Jackson’s Rain

See’s Candies

And one of those faucets filters that outputs flavored water…okay that one is really for the kids because they think it is so cool. So what do you say, can they have it?

Oh yeah and See’s Candies.

If you’re childfree take a bubble bath and have some wine in a real wine glass that could break if it got knocked over, and play music that only you have to like that doesn’t feature a puppet voice singing. Oh, and chocolate of course!

What’s on your list ladies?

A poll conducted in April 2008 indicates that consumers will spend 51 cents less on mom this Mother’s Day. Where thoughtful children spent $139.14 last year, this year mom will have to remember that it’s the thought that counts on this Mother’s Day and be accepting of the average gift of $138.63. How much was that Wii Fit again and where’s the nearest Wal-Mart?

BIGresearch (51 cents LOL) shares some wonderful numbers here at www.newsday.com. I love the trend where 18 to 24 year-olds are spending more on Mother’s Day. Or is it that they are keeping track of how much they are spending on mom for Mother’s Day? Wait…they are keeping score?

They’ve moved up a total of three spaces in age bracket spending. Oh, the decline of our youth. Wake up moms, you know they either did something wrong or they are about to ask to move back in. Turn their old rooms into office space pronto. An empty nest is a clean and quiet nest.

Mom, I love you! And this Mother’s Day I’m going to try to remember to call and I will send my sisters links to my blogs so they can tell you about all the wonderful things I’ve said about you in the past week or day or two.

What can I say? She raised an overachiever and I’m going to save more than 51 cents this Mother’s Day. Maybe enough to fill my gas tank a few times to go and visit her soon.